Slytherin Protectors
by Eagle Hawke
Summary: What if the Slytherin's protected the first years during the Battle of Hogwarts? Rated for T because of references to the Battle of Hogwarts.


Tumblr Headcannon by: bakushma

 **I'm not certain, but I'm guessing that Slytherin was the only dorm left undamaged after the battle of Hogwarts seeing as it's in a hard-to-get-to place, being under the lake and all.**

 **Can you imagine all these little first year Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors and Ravenclaws all crashing in the Slytherin common room because they have no where else to go. Sure, the majority would have been evacuated before or during the battle so as not to get injured or in the way, but it's unlikely that all would have been able to leave on such short notice.**

 **Imagine them all sitting huddled together because they're afraid of these people who are supposed to be evil, who most of the school are apparently fighting a war against.**

 **Imagine the older Slytherins keeping their distance because they _know_ that the kids don't trust them, but still sorting out beds for them, making sure that they're all hydrated and fed, casting spells to make little floating candles that change colour like a nightlight for the kids who are scared of the dark. the more experienced kids casting silencing charms around the first years so that they can't hear what is happening outside.**

 **These tiny first year kids from different housing wondering how these people can be 'evil' at all.**

I got permission from bakushma to write this, because I felt it would be an intriguing concept, and one that I would personally like to see. I did research and there isn't really a definitive answer as to which side the Slytherins fought on. I found an interview with JK Rowling and she said they fight on the side of Hogwarts, but there are other answers out there. I'm going to go with the thread that there were some who didn't fight at all. They were sent to the dungeons in the movie, and in the books all it says is that they were told to leave the Great Hall. I'm going to go with the movie side of things, at least here, in this one specific moment.

The 6th Year female prefect of the Slytherin house, Astoria Kingsley, sat with the other remaining prefects on the couch that was hidden in the corner of the room. Draco Malfoy and a few others were noticeably absent. Their heads snapped towards the portrait hole as voices came closer and closer. The group moved and stood in front of the entrance with their wands raised, prepared to put up a fight should the need come. The portrait swung open to reveal Mr. Filch with the first year students from all the other houses.

"Mr. Filch?" Finn Blackwood, another prefect, 7th Year, spoke. "What is going on?"

"The first years have been told to stay in the Slytherin dorms." He growled. "And I've been told to tell you to stay in the dorms."

"Alright. Come on in, first years. We'll get you settled in the beds. It's past 9, and its been a tiring day." Astoria replied.

The first years stayed in a huddle as Astoria broke off from the group of prefects with Finn. The two of them quickly set to transfiguring beds for all the new first years to sleep in, keeping them close to each other so the eleven year olds would feel safer. The first years climbed in the beds, but didn't relax. Astoria set to making floating balls of lights that changed colors every so often, and the first years watched with wide eyes. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see a few of the 7th year prefects setting up a silencing barrier, which Astoria herself was grateful for. Pointing her wand at the fireplace, she muttered a quick incindio and the fire roared. The warmth was noticeable and the first years relaxed a tiny bit.

"Flippy!" She called. A house elf appeared in front of her. "Could you please whip up some hot coco and some food for the first years?" Flippy took a quick look around and nodded.

"Flippy will do as Prefect Kingsley requests." He replied, and pop'd off. A few minutes later, cups of steaming coco with marshmallows appeared on the tables, and plates of food with varied items followed. Astoria noticed that the foods would be easy on the stomachs and was impressed by the house elves thoughtfulness. The Slytherin prefects set to handing out coco and food, and soon the children, because thats really what they were, were lying against the headboards of their beds. A few beds had more than one student on it, and the students were conversing in low tones. Astoria shed the outer robe with the Slytherin crest on it and let her hear fall against the back of the couch. An idea came to her suddenly and the sat up.

"Does anyone want to hear a story?" She asked. There was a tenative yes, and some of the first years nodded. Astoria crossed her legs and reclined against the couch. "Alright then. Once upon a time, there was a young brother and sister, named Jack and Lillian. Lillian was an adventurous girl who loved to learn about anything she could get her hands on, and sometimes she was put in danger, but it was very rare that it was serious danger. Jack never left his sisters side, so when she got in trouble, he got in trouble. Jack was good at keeping her out of trouble, though. They would play out in the fields of purple flowers that were as soft as a kneazles fur." Astoria paused her story as she realized the first years were laying down now. "One day, it rained and stormed outside, so Jack and Lillian couldn't go outside that day, which made them sad. They had to stay in their house, which was big, so they decided to explore. They found a room that held a lot of toys. They spent all the day playing with their new toys and didn't realize it was almost time for them to go to bed until their mother came to get them. They went to bed happy that the rain hadn't caused them to have a bad day. The end." The first years smiled and a few giggled at the conclusion of her story. Astoria smiled. "Does anyone need anything?" She asked. A first year tentatively raised her hand.

"I kind of need to go to the bathroom." The Ravenclaw first year asked shyly. Astoria stood up and walked over to the bed.

"Alright. I'll show you where they are." She replied taking the girl by the hand. She showed her where the female bathrooms were and waited outside the door so that the first year didn't get lost on the way back. The first year came back out. "What's your name, by the way? I never asked."

"I'm Susan." The girl replied quietly. "What's yours?"

"I'm Astoria. What's your favorite class this year?"

"It's Charms. I really like how you can use them to simplify tasks." Susan replied happily.

"That's pretty cool. I like the way it makes it easier to clean, myself." Astoria replied. "Do you have a favorite professor?"

"Yeah, it's McGonagall. She's really nice." Astoria wasn't too surprised by this. McGonagall had helped several of the Slytherin first years discretely when they were being punished for things they couldn't help.

"I like McGonagall too. She's very fair to her students." Astoria replied. Susan seemed surprised by that, which Astoria was expecting. "Transfiguration's a pretty cool class as well. It's very useful."

"Like the beds?" Susan asked.

"Yep!" Astoria smiled. "Its good for when you need something quickly." They reached the common room and Susan scampered over to her friends beds. Astoria watched her go with a slight smile on her face.

"Hi Lindsey!" Susan said as she clambered onto her friends bed.  
"Hi Susan." Lindsey replied. "They aren't as bad as we've been told, huh?" Susan nodded.  
"I guess the older students were wrong about Slytherins." Susan replied. "They're pretty nice as a whole. They don't look or act evil."  
"Just goes to show we should check our facts before believing something." Lindsey replied.  
-

After the Battle of Hogwarts had finished, and the school had been rebuilt and started up again, there was a distinctive lack of amnosity between the first and second years of the sytherin house and the rest of the school. Things had changed, and hopefully for the better.


End file.
